"Mm..."
Robin suddenly heard a faint murmur from her lap.
He's waking up?
She looked down, only to see that the black-haired boy still had his eyes shut, sleeping soundly—just mumbling something in his sleep.
So he's talking in his dreams?
Her curiosity piqued. After a moment of hesitation, she glanced left and right—then couldn't resist any longer.
She quietly, carefully leaned down closer to his ear—
Just in time to hear a single sentence:
"The sea is vast. One day... partners who will protect you will appear."
!!!
Robin's pupils shrank, her breath catching instantly.
How...
How did he know that?
Memories of pain and darkness surged up like a tide—her burning homeland, the people fleeing in desperation, and that massive figure laughing "Dahahahaha..."
Was it just coincidence... or...?
As her mind spun, the boy murmured again in his sleep:
"Too many enemies stand in the way of my dream…"
"I want to live too!... Take me with you to the sea!"
"…?" Robin blinked and quickly calmed down.
Those two lines... had nothing to do with her.
As expected.
She had overthought it. It was just a coincidence.
She gazed quietly at the boy's face, then glanced at the newspaper nearby—the bounty poster with a staggering 540 million berries printed on it.
Such a powerful presence. A man with so many companions, a life full of warmth and bonds...
Could it be... he too had once walked alone through darkness, burdened with crushing loneliness?
…
The wind atop the turtle's back suddenly stilled.
Shano's eyelashes twitched slightly as he slowly opened his eyes on Robin's lap.
Sunlight sliced across his brow ridge, lighting up his black pupils.
"Morning."
As if nothing had happened, he yawned and stood up, turning back with a smile. "Thanks. That nap was way better than sleeping on jagged rocks."
Then his gaze shifted—and landed on the newspaper. Instantly, his interest was piqued. "Oh! The new bounties are already out? Let me see…"
Rustle! He snapped the paper open.
"Pshh, only 500 million something... As expected, if you haven't entered the New World, they won't give you a high bounty. Huh, even Nami's bounty rose to 80 million?"
Robin pressed her lips together.
That reaction… wasn't right.
Wouldn't a normal person wake up on a strange woman's lap and ask, "Who are you?"
Recalling the words he said yesterday, she simply asked directly, "Do you know who I am?"
"Huh?"
Shano peeked from behind the paper. "Of course."
Nico Nico Nii—he'd recognize her even if she was turned to ashes.
He shrugged. "You've been tailing us for quite a while, haven't you?"
Robin was stunned, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. "You… you noticed long ago?"
"Duh."
Shano casually folded the paper and replied casually, "I noticed someone trailing us from back at Whisky Peak. You hid yourself well, but now and then, you'd slip up… I just didn't know it was you at first."
Didn't know it was me at first?
Robin's sharp mind caught that phrase instantly, though her face remained composed. "What a disgrace. A stalker isn't exactly a title worth boasting about."
"That's true. But you're definitely a certified stalker!"
Shano grinned, taking a step closer and towering over her—though she tried to stay calm, he could see the subtle tension in her shoulders.
"Your ability, if I recall correctly, lets you grow any body part anywhere within your line of sight… like eyes?"
He suddenly leaned in, staring directly into her eyes.
"If I hadn't learned Observation Haki, I wouldn't have even noticed. You watched when I trained, watched when I ate and drank, even when I fought. What the hell… hey, don't tell me you were peeking when I bathed too?"
"…"
Robin smiled suddenly, blinking at him. "Why don't you guess?"
"Just kidding. You're not Sarutobi Ayame, after all."
Shano chuckled and straightened up. "Still, seeing you flustered like this is pretty amusing."
Who's flustered? Robin stayed silent, then softly asked:
"Since you noticed me… why didn't you call me out earlier?"
"Hey, hey, don't go flipping the conversation on me." Shano frowned. "That's my line. Why were you following us in the first place?"
"…"
Robin pressed her lips together. She didn't respond right away.
What could she say?
That she had nowhere else to go, and was searching for a new leader?
That she was envious of their bonds and wanted to be a part of it?
But someone like her, with her past... would she ever be worthy of that?
"Why not just be honest?"
Shano interrupted her thoughts with his voice. "Demon Child Nico Robin. The last survivor of Ohara. Got your PhD in history at age eight. World Government bounty: 79 million berries…"
He knew!
Of course he knew!
Robin's body stiffened as her eyes widened again. Her fingers curled tightly into her coat.
For sixteen years, this identity brought her nothing but disaster and betrayal. And this... this moment felt all too familiar—how many times had someone exposed her like this?
"Relax."
Shano reached out and ruffled her hair. The casual, fluid motion made Robin pause in surprise. Even Shano himself was taken aback.
Wait, what's up with this hand?
It must be Robin's fault—after twenty years of reading the manga, he felt far too close to her. Meeting her felt just like reuniting with an old friend.
Besides, he'd already ruffled Luffy's, Nami's, Zoro's and Sanji's heads... his hand was trained at this point.
"Sorry about that."
He smoothly withdrew his hand, chuckling. "I'm used to comforting my little sister that way. Forgot you're older than me. Not exactly appropriate. Anyway… the reason I brought up your past—"
Shano squatted down, now eye-level with the seated Robin.
"—isn't to threaten you. It's to tell you—"
"From today onward, those years of running and hiding are over~!"
Sunlight danced along his lashes, casting a warm glow on his face. He held out his right hand, smiling playfully:
"Hey, Robin-nee, wanna come aboard my ship? I'm really into poneglyphs, y'know. Been wanting to collect a few. I'm just missing a legit archaeologist."
"…"
Robin stared blankly at the black-haired boy before her.
She hadn't even figured out how to ask... in fact, she had already given up on that thought entirely—and yet he invited her on board first?
Sixteen years…
In sixteen years, for the first time, someone knew her entire dark past and still reached out to her—not with a weapon, but with a warm hand.
All those years fleeing from the World Government, all those days in the shadows—now seemed so far away, overwhelmed by this absurd kindness.
She thought of the smiling faces on the bounty posters, of the scenes around the campfire in Little Garden...
That warmth—she once thought it was a dream forever out of reach.
And now…
Now it was right in front of her. Just within reach.
"I…"
She unconsciously reached out her right hand—but flinched just before touching his, pulling back like she'd been burned.
"What the heck?" Shano glared at her. "Still scared and hesitant at this point? Just put your hand up here already!"
"You… You don't understand."
Robin's eyes dimmed, her voice barely a whisper under the sea breeze. "My existence is a curse. The flames of Ohara's sin will burn your ship. The World Government will hound every one of your crew like shadows…"
She lowered her gaze, casting a faint shadow beneath her eyes. "The smiles, the campfires, the camaraderie you have now... one day, all of it will be reduced to ash because of me."
"So damn noisy."
Shano rolled his eyes, then suddenly grabbed her retreating wrist. His warm palm wrapped around her icy hand, forcing a high-five.
"There. Officially on board. Pinky promise—you can't escape now. From now on, call me Captain."
He finally sat down beside her, still grinning as Robin stared in disbelief.
"What curse? What flames? You read the paper, didn't you? You saw my bounty, right? Hmm?"
"F-Five hundred million…"
"Five hundred and forty million berries!"
He raised six fingers. "Even if you multiplied your bounty by six, it wouldn't match mine. Once you're on my ship, your bounty's only second-lowest. When the sky falls, I'm the one holding it up. No one's got time to come after you."
"But…"
"Don't start harping about Ohara's special status again."
Shano scoffed. "The Marine HQ? The World Government? Sounds scary, sure—but what of it? The sea's huge. What are they gonna do, send everyone after us? At most, it's just a Buster Call!"
He snorted.
"One admiral, five vice admirals. That's the typical setup. I just fought an admiral and casually wrecked two vice admirals on the side... So if anyone thinks they can snatch you away—"
"They'll have to go through me first!"
The boy's voice echoed across the sea.
The sea breeze brushed past, and all fell quiet on the turtle's back.
"What's wrong? Why the silence all of a sudden?" Shano laughed heartily. "Don't tell me you were charmed by my words?"
Robin blinked, then chuckled softly.
Lowering her lashes, her fingers gently smoothed out the wrinkles on her lap caused by someone earlier. Her voice was soft, almost like a sigh:
"Yeah, very charming."
—Of course it was. So charming it made her eyes sting.
So that's how it is... The shadows pressing down on her for sixteen years—were they really just scraps of worthless paper to him, crushed with a single hand?
"Captain," Robin suddenly spoke.
"Hm? What is it?"
Shano grinned broadly. Finally accepted it, huh? That title—Captain—sounded real sweet now.
"Your poison's acting up again..." Robin said with a ghost of a smile.
Huh?
Shano froze, then quickly rushed to the edge of the turtle's shell and looked at his reflection on the sea surface.
A creature that looked like a cross between Thanos and the Hulk was staring right back at him.
His face stiffened instantly.
Wait a second.
Was this the face he had just used to act all cool in front of Robin?
"AAAAAHHHHHHH!"
A desperate scream rang out from the turtle's back.
"Robin! Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"
———
Cold winds howled. Snow fell like goose feathers, draping the mountains of Drum Island in silvery white.
The old sea turtle puffed on its pipe, gliding slowly up a river into the heart of the island.
Tall pine trees on either side sagged under the weight of snow, occasionally shedding it in soft plops.
"This place is freezing!"
Shano rubbed his arms. The breath he exhaled froze into crystals instantly.
He turned to glance at Robin. She had drawn her cloak tightly around herself, shivering slightly, the tip of her nose tinged red.
"Can you hold out?"
He couldn't help but ask, "There should be a town up ahead. First thing we do is find a clothing shop and get you more winter gear."
The Grand Line's climate was as fickle as ever.
Just a day ago they'd been in the tropics, and now—thanks to drawing near a winter island—the temperature had plunged to 40 or 50 below.
That's right. A full day had passed.
After an entire day of sailing, they had finally arrived here.
"Drum Island."
Shano only realized it when he saw the mountain peaks shaped like giant chimneys in the distance—this so-called "great medical nation" that Robin wanted to bring him to was none other than Chopper's homeland.
So much for first impressions!
Sis, your intel seriously needs updating.
This country had already expelled most of its doctors, leaving only the twenty who served the king. Could it still be called a medical nation?
"I'm fine, Captain," Robin shook her head gently. "What's more important is the poison in your body—we need to find a doctor right away..."
She paused a little on the word Captain—still not quite used to it.
She had called many people titles like "captain," "boss," or "leader" before… but always with hidden motives and guarded hearts.
Only with this boy, younger than her, did saying "captain" give her a strange sense of trust and reassurance.
"What doctor? I told you already, this poison can't harm me."
Shano cut her off in mild annoyance. "If we weren't already so close to the island, I wouldn't even have come! Listen to me—clothes first! No arguing!"
"...Alright," Robin relented with a helpless smile.
Shano crouched down and examined his reflection in the mostly frozen river.
Good. The poison hadn't flared up again.
He had checked thoroughly on the way here.
The toxin left behind by that crazy Vice Admiral—apart from some residual effects on the skin—posed no real threat to him.
Still, even with life return speeding things up, a complete detox would take time. At least half a month, he estimated.
Which meant his face might turn that hideous purple-green color on and off for the next couple weeks.
It was more of an annoyance than anything. He'd already lost face in front of Robin once. Whether he looked like Thanos once or ten times, it didn't matter anymore.
If they happened to find a doctor, fine. If not, so be it.
But...
Saying "we were already close to the island" was just an excuse. The real reason he landed on Drum Island—
Shano glanced at his inventory.
The Devil Fruit Detection Radar inside was blinking yellow for the first time in ages.
That meant a Devil Fruit was within ten kilometers.
Still, the last time with the Flame-Flame Fruit, it took the whole crew to find it. This time it was just him and Robin. Scouring this snowy wasteland wouldn't be easy.
Let's hope it goes well.
Shano looked up at the swirling snowfall.
After all… hadn't there always been rumors?
That Devil Fruits chose their owners—appearing before those destined to possess them.
...…
The old sea turtle docked at the shore, puffing out a smoke ring.
"The river ahead's frozen solid. Whether you can cross or not, I'll have to wait here, Mr. Bianchi."
The two of them disembarked, boots crunching through the snow as they headed toward the distant glow of lights.
The minus-fifty-degree cold didn't bother Shano much. Shirtless, he strode ahead, clearing the path and shielding Robin from the wind and snow.
Crunch, crunch—similar footsteps echoed from the opposite direction.
A massive white bear—at least five or six meters tall—was walking toward them, leaning on a mountaineer's staff.
"That's a Hiking Bear. They only appear on winter islands in the Grand Line. Friendly animals," Robin whispered from behind.
"They're docile toward humans. Just nod and bow a little if you meet one in the woods."
Really?
Shano looked curiously at the bear.
After a brief pause, he nodded. The bear nodded back and gave a slight bow, then continued on its way.
Whoa, polite little guy.
"If Nami were here, her first thought would be to roast it for meat. That'd totally ruin the mood."
Shano grinned, "It's great having such a knowledgeable crewmate, Robin-nee."
"We're almost at the town entrance,"
Robin shook her head, resigned. He insisted on calling her that, even though she'd told him just "Robin" was fine.
She pointed up the slope where a path glowed faintly in the snow.
"Huh?" She squinted. "What's that?"
—On the snowy slope, a blue-nosed little reindeer was running in a panic, chased by five or six soldiers with guns.
"Stop right there, blue-nosed freak!"
"Fire! Fire! We must catch it this time!"
"Don't aim for vital spots—cripple its legs! We need this freak to catch that damned illegal doctor, Kureha!"
Gunfire rang out.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The little reindeer stumbled into the snow, scattering the herbs it was carrying. Its large, tear-filled eyes reflected the closing soldiers.
"You're not getting away now!"
The men surrounded it. The squad leader cocked his gun and sneered at the cowering creature:
"Speak! Where's Kureha hiding? That old hag's the last one defying His Majesty's decree!"
SLASH!
A cold gleam sliced through the snow.
Before the soldiers could react, their flintlocks had been sliced clean in two.
"...Captain, you're actually a swordsman?" Robin raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"What kind of question is that? Forgot my bounty poster nickname?" Shano glared.
"But that was just a disguise, right?" Robin smiled, "You're best at hand-to-hand combat. That sword's just to mislead enemies."
"...Tch."
Having a smart woman aboard did have its downsides.
Shano clicked his tongue and looked away.
The squad leader suddenly screamed—Shano's strike had accidentally taken off his wrist too.
Oops. A bit imprecise. Shano raised a brow, but felt no guilt.
He remembered clearly—aside from Dalton, the rest of Wapol's Royal Guard were ruthless thugs. They hunted doctors mercilessly and cowered when real threats came. When Blackbeard attacked, even Wapol fled to become a pirate—and they followed him like lapdogs.
"AHHH! It hurts!!"
The squad leader screamed, glaring through tears, "Who the hell are you people?! How dare you interfere with Royal Guard business! Aren't you afraid of being fed to the cannons by King Wapol?!"
Before Shano could speak, a soldier suddenly panicked.
He grabbed the squad leader's collar and whispered something.
"What?"
The squad leader froze. Then, as if doused with ice water, he forgot even the pain.
"You're saying… this guy… is the 540 million bounty pirate?!"
"No mistake!" the soldier trembled, "He's been all over the headlines—he's even killed a Vice Admiral and a Shichibukai!"
"WHAT?!"
The soldiers scattered in panic.
"Run—run!!"
They hoisted their captain and fled like mad, not even daring to pick up their weapons.
Shano snorted, sheathing his blade. Robin frowned, "You're not going to—"
"No need."
Shano shook his head and looked at the towering 5,000-meter peak ahead.
"Let them spread the word. I want to see how Wapol reacts to my arrival."
Robin finally understood and relaxed her crossed arms.
"It's okay now, little tanuki. They won't bother you again."
She smiled gently at the blue-nosed reindeer. "Where's your home? Want us to walk you back?"
The reindeer didn't speak. It glared warily, then snatched its herb basket and dashed behind a thick tree.
Peeking out cautiously…
"Um… you're hiding the wrong way," Robin blinked. "Your head's behind the tree, but your whole body's still showing."
Oh!
The little reindeer panicked and quickly shifted to hide properly.